Chapter 8 #3
No, that wasn’t what he really wanted to say.
What he should have said was that it was a damn shame she was hoping to make something work with someone back home, because in Tad’s opinion she shouldn’t have to be working that hard to fan the flames of love, or desire, or whatever it was she wanted from the bloke.
That Tad wouldn’t make her work at all, if only she’d look in his direction.
‘Where do you call home?’ he asked, the question sounding clumsy.
‘Um, I’m not sure these days. I spend a lot of time at Billie’s place when we’re not travelling – she’s got a big apartment in Knightsbridge, very swanky.
But that’s not my home. I suppose I would have to say home is North Wiltshire.
Devizes. That’s where I grew up, anyway.
And that’s where I head for when I have time off.
Which isn’t often – certainly not for the last few years.
’ She frowned as she dried her hands. ‘But my family is proud of what I do, so I suppose that’s good. ’
She sucked in a breath, then smiled. Tad recognised the action. There was more she could say, more to the story than she was prepared to share, certainly with him. And why should she? There was no reason she should view him as a confidant.
‘That’s great,’ he said, glossing over the unspoken.
‘You?’ she asked.
‘Originally from a little town in Fife – Scotland, obviously—’
‘Obviously…’
She grinned, unfiltered for the first time that evening, in Tad’s opinion.
‘Now I’m an official nomad. I go where the wind blows me.’
‘You never wanted to settle down?’ she said.
It was Tad’s turn to suck in an unexpected breath, while he tried to recalibrate.
‘Maybe, once.’ It was as much as he could say, but it was more than he’d been able to admit to a stranger ever before.
‘Right now, I’m happy here. Happier than I’ve been in a long while, actually, so maybe I’ll stick around here a bit longer. ’
‘Well, from my initial impressions of this place, I would suggest you could do a lot, lot worse,’ she said.
‘I agree.’
A look of panic crossed Amy’s face. ‘Oh, my God. Pudding. We haven’t made anything.’
Tad shook his head. ‘Let you into a secret,’ he said.
‘There’s a chocolate semifreddo in the deep freeze, which has this evening written all over it.
I always have a couple of tricks up my sleeve in case of last-minute panics.
I’ll get it out when we’ve served the starters, give it a bit of time to soften slightly in the fridge. ’
‘Is it a type of ice cream?’
‘Aye. But rather than being hard like traditional ice cream, it stays soft, so I’ll cut it into slices. This one’s got pistachio nuts and nougat in it. I think they’ll enjoy it.’
‘I’m sure they will. Do we get to try it, too?’
‘Of course, we do – what chef worth their salt doesn’t test their own food?’
Tad poured a couple of glasses of sparkling water, cool from the fridge. The evening was warm, and even with the door open to the gardens the kitchen was hot. Certainly, Amy’s cheeks were carrying the rosy glow of a warm working environment.
Amy took an appreciative sip of the water, then said, ‘Any excuse to try a dessert is a winner with me. I have to say I’m a total sucker for the sweet stuff. Especially ice cream. Although I’m going to have to draw the line soon. I’m sure I’ve already gained about five pounds since we arrived.’
‘No way. You look fantastic,’ he said, before his filters had time to spring into action. ‘Tell you what, though – if you get some time off, maybe we could do that hike I mentioned. If Billie isn’t interested, that’s no reason for you to miss out while you’re here, is there?’
‘Burn off some calories, you mean?’ She was grinning, though, and Tad was almost certain she was teasing him, that she hadn’t taken offence as she focused her gaze on him. ‘That’s kind. I’d like that. I’ll ask Billie.’
Movement behind Tad and a waft of perfumed air took their attention.
‘Ask me what?’ Billie said, crossing the space.
‘I was wondering about having a bit of time off,’ Amy said, the smile sliding from her face, replaced instead by something more guarded.
‘Time off? We’ve only been here five minutes.
’ Billie turned to Tad; her eyebrows arched in mock surprise.
‘What is she like? And look, I brought you a drink, Amelia. I thought you might be parched, slaving away in here. Gianna popped a cork or two and the bubbly isn’t bad at all.
Seems Tad’s looking after you well, though. ’
As Amy took the glass proffered by Billie, looking awkward with a drink in each hand, Tad said, ‘I like to think I look after everybody.’
‘Promises, promises,’ Billie said, her expression twinkling as she moved in front of Amy and rested her hand on his sleeve. ‘If I’d known you wanted some help in here, I could have made myself available, better that than have you exhaust my assistant.’
‘I’m not exhausted,’ Amy said.
‘You’re thinking about needing some time off, so I beg to differ.’
‘But that wasn’t…’
‘Shouldn’t you go and dress for dinner, Amy? You’re not joining us looking like that, are you?’ Billie tightened her grip on Tad’s arm. ‘I can help with anything left to do in here, Tad.’
Tad set down his tall glass, extricating himself from Billie’s touch. ‘Everything here is under control – perhaps we should join the others for a drink. Then, once Amy’s ready we can serve dinner.’